Life Is Made Up Of Moments
by indigoibex
Summary: 'Good ones, bad ones, but they're all worth living.' A collection of my short Captain Swan one-shots, ranging from humor and fluff to angst and hurt/comfort.
1. back to you

**1\. back to you**

* * *

The overwhelming wave of relief hit him almost as hard as the force with which the woman threw herself into his arms.

The woman who had marched into the underworld to save him. The woman who refused to give up on him. On their love.

There were no words, for either of them. Just pure emotion racing through their veins, telling them- no, screaming at them to hold on and never let go again.

The cold metal of the ring on Emma's neck was pressed tightly between their bodies, connecting them with the promise of their future together. A promise made on a beautiful day under less than ideal circumstances. It hadn't been a proposal, Killian had quickly assured her of that. Instead, it had been a request. ''Bring her home to me.'' is what he'd said. And so she had.

Their bodies swayed gently from side to side, as they found they were incapable of staying steady on their feet. Emma's fingers ran through the strands of his dark hair, pulling him impossibly closer into their embrace. Their eyes were shut tight while they both tried to process the immense feeling of happiness now that they found themselves in each others' arms. She had no idea how long they'd been standing there. It felt like an eternity, yet it was not nearly long enough.

The first time she heard him speak again was when he whispered softly into her golden locks. ''Emma.'' the crack in his voice was small but unmistakable. When she finally managed to pull back just far enough to look at him, foreheads still touching, she noticed the tears on his cheeks, and smiled through her own.

''Killian.'' she softly exclaimed in something between a sigh and a laugh. ''I love you.''

''I love you too.''


	2. expected jealousy

**2\. expected jealousy**

* * *

''Killian Jones.''

''Aye, love?'' His voice sounded overly entertained, especially considering the strict tone with which she'd just said his name.

Emma responded with a stern look and a slight tilt of her head. ''Don't act like you don't know what I mean.''

Indeed, he knew exactly what she meant, and it amused him to no end.

''I do?''

''Yes. You know that's not how you're supposed to eat it.''

Killian looked down at the remaining half of a black-and-white cookie in his hand with feigned surprise. ''This thing you call an ''Oreo''?'' He held it up with a knowing grin, waving it in front of her adorably annoyed face. He continued to eat it the exact same way he had before- sticking his tongue out and slowly licking the sweet creme off, all the while staring suggestively at her.

She raised her eyebrows, thumbs loosely holding the back pockets of her jeans, the hint of a smirk on her lips. ''Really?''

''Yes, Swan. Really.'' He mimicked her, drawing out the latter word and exaggerating her supposedly offended tone. His intense gaze didn't leave her green eyes for a second while he moved closer to her. ''Why? Are you objecting to my special method?''

Emma's body welcomed his, stepping closer into his space with a brief and poorly concealed flick of her tongue over her lips.

''If I didn't know any better...'' Killian's voice had dropped to a hushed whisper, though it was easily audible due to the fact that they were mere inches apart from each other at this point. ''I'd say you were jealous.''

Without wasting another word, she tugged on his collar, pulling the two of them together in a passionate meeting of their lips. The kiss lasted a good long while, hands moving through the other's hair and drawing each other deeper into the moment.

Eventually Killian pulled back, interrupted by the need to breath properly. ''How was that? Everything you were hoping for?'' he suggested, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Emma looked like she was considering this, complete with her face scrunched up slightly in thought, before decidedly shaking her head. ''I still think the Oreo got the better treatment. Next time eat it whole like a normal person, otherwise I might just get jealous again.''

''I'll keep that in mind.''


	3. a song I can't get out

**3\. a song I can't get out**

 **A/N: Pure fluff. Somewhere during happier times post-underworld.**

* * *

She'd noticed, but hadn't spoken to him about it yet.

For weeks now, Killian had been singing in the shower, clearly unaware of the fact that the water wasn't quite as loud as he probably thought it was. She could still hear his voice softly through the patter of the drops. She wasn't always able to make out the lyrics, but that didn't matter that much to her. She greatly enjoyed hearing it every morning, without exception. She actually found herself feeling genuinely disappointed whenever he'd take a shorter shower than usual.

He was always up earlier than she was, a habit undoubtedly developed during the centuries of living on ships where one had to be up at the crack of dawn. She hadn't succeeded in breaking this tradition of his just yet, despite her best and usually very effective efforts at making him stay in bed a little longer. Her most often used tactic was to slowly inch closer, followed by sleepy pleas for "just five more minutes", a leg around his torso and soon her body practically on top of his.

It would work just long enough to satisfy their daily need for cuddling, but eventually he'd get up, unknowingly leaving Emma to enjoy his singing while she was either making breakfast or lounging in bed for a little longer.

She loved those mornings and deeply cherished every single minute of them.

However, she did wonder why he never talked to her about it. She'd assumed it was one of the few things he could actually be a little shy about. There was really no reason to, though. Killian's voice was warm and clear, and all of the songs were slow, beautiful and incredibly soothing. Based on the lyrics she could make out through the noise of the shower, and the music he had started listening to on the radio, he seemed to have developed a particular interest in The Paper Kites, Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam.

The reason Emma hadn't brought it up yet was because she was afraid he'd stop if he knew she could hear him singing every day. But one evening, she quite suddenly couldn't take it anymore. They were laying on the couch after a fun but rather exhausting sailing trip with Henry on the Jolly Roger. The boy was, according to Killian, turning into "quite a fine sailor".

Their fingers were intertwined, both their hands resting on her stomach and her head propped up against his shoulder. She was holding the remote control in her other hand, aimlessly zapping through the unusually boring programs.

Suddenly and without much of a second thought, she posed the question that had been on her mind for a while now.

"Killian, will you sing to me?"

He was evidently just as surprised by her impulsive question as she was. She threw her head back to look up at him with bright green eyes, clearly waiting for an answer. After a couple of seconds he let out a soft chuckle, breaking their gaze by looking down in the way he always did on the relatively rare occasion when he couldn't handle a compliment.

"You heard that?"

Emma turned off the tv and put the remote control down next to the two empty mugs on the coffee table. She turned around in his arms, slinging her right arm around his neck. A soft and sweet touch of their lips, followed by a tiny smile for him.

"Please?"

"As you wish, my love." He'd returned to locking their gaze, speaking in a low voice which bordered on a whisper.

Her stomach jumped, and the fact that he still managed to make her feel so giddy made the corners of her mouth curl up even further. They were on their feet in a matter of seconds, not for a second abandoning each others' vicinity.

Killian took her hand in his, gently settling his hook on her hip. She put her right hand on his shoulder, grinning at the fact that they were both in their pajamas in their own living room. Usually when they danced it tended to involve fancy dresses and ball rooms.

 _In the morning when I wake_

 _And the sun is coming through,_

 _Oh, you fill my lungs with sweetness,_

 _And you fill my head with you._

They'd started moving around slowly. Killian's cheek brushing against hers, as he had started to sing the first verse of the song. She recognized it, as she'd heard it a couple of times before -both on the radio and during the morning showers- but nothing could compare to the way he sang it, so close and so soft against her ear.

 _Shall I write it in a letter?_

 _Shall I try to get it down?_

 _Oh, you fill my head with pieces_

 _Of a song I can't get out._

Their bare feet moved gracefully on the soft carpet. The warmth of the moment was physically tangible in between their tightly interlocked fingers. The only sound in the house was the sound of his voice, meant just for her. She moved her hand further up to run her fingers through strands of his dark hair, his face still beside her own.

 _Can I be close to you?_

 _Ooh-oo-oo-ooh, ooh_

 _Can I be close to you?_

 _Ooh, ooh._

Killian's ocean blue eyes were looking at her now, as he tenderly pulled her waist closer to him. His confidence was visibly increasing as he saw how much she was enjoying this. They were taking up more space now, dancing and spinning through the room with the grace and poise of a king and queen.

 _Can I take it to a morning_

 _Where the fields are painted gold_

 _And the trees are filled with memories_

 _Of the feelings never told?_

They moved closer to each other again, as he pressed feather light kisses to her cheek and the side of her neck, after which she readily returned the favor. Emma's thumb stroked his hand and rings in a steady rhythm as she pulled back to look at him. His lips were captivating, fascinating to watch as they produced such a lovely tune.

 _When the evening pulls the sun down,_

 _And the day is almost through,_

 _Oh, the whole world is sleeping,_

 _And my world is you._

Their foreheads were touching as their movements gradually slowed. Her eyelashes fluttered, alternating her fixed look between his eyes and his lips. The warmth between them became almost too much to bear, in the best way imaginable. The lyrics so easily described the beautifully simple emotion of this very instant.

 _Can I be close to you?_

 _Ooh-oo-oo-ooh, ooh_

 _Can I be close to you?_

 _Ooh, ooh._

She caught herself humming along to the last verse, thoroughly enjoying the smile it brought to his face while at the same time dreading the nearing end of the song. Both his hand and his hook were positioned on her waist now, her own hands resting on his chest. Their lips touched in a seemingly long awaited kiss, the last notes echoing as a moan in the air between them.

"Cherish this, Swan, because it won't be happening again anytime soon." he teased lightly, opening his eyes with an adoring gaze in their blue depths.

Emma merely responded with a breathless chuckle, her super power telling her exactly just how big of a lie that was.


	4. the day I lost you

**4\. the day I lost you**

 **A/N: Because I like pain. A quick angsty drabble, mostly to prepare myself for my inevitable death in 5x15.**

* * *

The ring felt like it was burning through her skin as she twisted it around her finger. But that was nothing compared to the hot tears streaming down her cheeks. If she didn't know any better, she could have sworn they were carving scars on her face, eternal reminders of this dreadful moment. As if she could ever forget it. As if she wouldn't remember losing him for the rest of her life.

Surely she should have been used to it by now. Losing a loved one was not a foreign feeling to her. She had felt it more times than she could bear to count. She knew her heart was not beating, thanks to Hades, but the ache in her chest felt physical enough to entirely replace it. Of what use was it to her anyway, if there was no more light to shine upon it?

Her feet were still moving, taking her further away from the well and her other half, although she did not know how. They felt heavy and unwilling, and she had no clear direction in mind. Because where are you supposed to go when you've just lost everything you called home?

She had finally let him in, had allowed him to peak through the cracks of her walls until they finally crumbled without her even noticing. It was the time after that which had simultaneously been the most beautiful and the most terrifying. She had accepted love into her life, and it had been wonderful and horrible and everything she never knew she needed and everything she had been terrified of for so long. And rightfully so. Because despite the fact that love had brought her hope and happiness, it had also brought her the kind of pain she wasn't sure she could survive. The worst thing that could have happened actually did.

She had to let him go.

This time without any loopholes. No more fighting for their future. Because that future would end as soon as he walked into the light with his brother by his side. And she felt selfish for not wanting him to go. He had suffered enough, often because of her, and he deserved to rest. She should be happy for him. She should be happy that he made his own choice, that he had made the decision to move on to a better place.

She couldn't take that away from him.

But when she forced herself to imagine a world without him in it, she felt as though the last remaining spark of life had been ripped from her body. What a miserable world that would be.

Was she still walking?

No. She'd stopped in front of their house. Her feet had brought her there on their own accord. As if fate, cruel as it was, wanted her to see exactly what she would be losing today.

She wanted to run. But her legs had given up on her, and she sunk straight to the ground.

She wanted to scream. Nothing but muffled sobs, until she could barely breath.

She wanted to feel the warmth of his presence. Only the cold air welcomed her in its embrace.

She loved him. She always would. This was her, on her knees in front of her lost future, whispering her goodbyes into the merciless darkness of the blood red sky.


	5. eyes on the road

**5\. eyes on the road**

 **A/N: Short fluffy road trip fic, because I'm currently on a road trip and I'm missing my daily dose of Captain Swan.**

* * *

"Killian, no." Emma waved his hand away from the CD player.

"If we're going to be stuck in this yellow contraption of yours for hours in a row, I would at least like to put on some music." He sat back in his seat with an expression reminiscent of a child who'd just been denied his fair share of ice cream.

"If I have to listen to "drink up me hearties" one more time, I'm making you walk the plank myself." She deadpanned, not planning on letting him have his way. She was currently really regretting her decision to teach him how the "magic music box", as he had dubbed it, worked.

Killian feigned a shocked and offended expression, but before he could get another word in, Emma continued.

"Besides, we're not 'stuck'." she added in an exaggeratedly cheerful tone. "We are on a road trip. This is one of the few times when there's no curse preventing us from crossing the borders of storybrooke. We shouldn't let that opportunity pass by without taking advantage of it."

"Fair enough, Swan. Although we could've gone on a sailing trip on the Jolly Roger too."

"I know, but I wanted to show you something… normal people in this world do. And that usually doesn't involve centuries-old pirate ships." Emma glanced over at him, offering a cheeky but sincere smile. Killian was truly settling into the way of life in Storybooke, and now that it had been relatively peaceful for a while, it was time for him to see a bit more of the land without magic.

He nodded in understanding before bringing up another suggestion.

"You know, your father has been teaching me how to drive, perhaps I could take the wheel for a bit."

"Forgive me if I don't trust my dad's driving lessons." Emma scoffed, thinking back to the last time he'd thought it was a good idea to let someone drive. "I haven't forgotten about the incident with Henry and the mail box yet." They both had a good laugh at David's expense.

"Did you know that was partially your fault, by the way?"

Killian returned her questioning look with a confused one, prompting her to explain.

"A little while ago he admitted that he simply couldn't accept the fact that his grandson thought that a certain pirate was more fun to spend time with."

Killian's face lit up with a mischievous grin. He'd no doubt use that information to tease David mercilessly. And Emma would be lying if she said that didn't amuse her greatly.

"It's not my fault I'm so charming. Maybe that name even suits me better than him, wouldn't you agree, Swan?" Okay, he was laying it on pretty thick now.

"Right. Anyway, I'll check your driving skills sometime when we're not on a busy highway."

"Sounds good to me. Actually…" The way he started the next sentence, with a low whisper and a raised eyebrow, immediately warned her of what was coming. "…I'm certain there's some other skills worth exploring further."

Yep, there it was. It earned him a barely surpressed chuckle and an expected eye roll. Satisfied with the results, he smiled and leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. "Eyes on the road, love."

"You're making it very difficult."

"Aye, that I am."

—

They sat on the grass in a field filled with daffodils, a decent distance away from the road, enjoying the lazy sunlight of the late afternoon.

He made a show of cutting the bread with his hook, which turned out to be a pretty complicated process, and probably more beneficial for the ants and birds than for them. They ended up mostly eating just the slices of cheese. Easier to cut through.

Spending hours with only each other as company was a rare gift, and they treasured every minute of it, although admittedly they'd stopped caring about their PDA a long time ago. Still, it was nice knowing there wouldn't be any panicking dwarves or drunk thieves around to crash their date.

"We should probably get going sometime." Emma said, but her eyes told a vastly different story as she glanced up from her glass of wine to let her gaze rest on his lips.

"Probably. Sometime."

But from the moment he captured her lips with his own, they didn't even notice the sun going down and painting the sky various hues of red and orange until the first stars appeared in the dark blue night sky.

—

They stood near the yellow bug, their intentions of driving back home at a somewhat decent time interrupted once again. Killian stood behind her, guiding her hands, showing her the patterns in the constellations above them.

Wasn't it odd, playing a game of connect-the-dots with galaxies millions of light-years away from them? How could people have ever started to see a connection between those bodies of light, whom by all rights should never have found each other?

Then again, whenever the soft clang of her ring touching his hook rang through the quiet darkness, she found that she did understand. Some things were simply meant to be together as one unit, despite the time and distance the universe decided to put between them.


	6. waterfall in the woods

**6\. waterfall in the woods**

 _ **Prompt: ''So, I found this waterfall…''**_

 **A/N: Whoops. Inspiration struck and this somehow turned into much more than a short drabble. Hope you enjoy it anyway! ~2K words of future fluff overdose.**

* * *

Emma should probably have grown used to the ridiculous things that kept happening in this town, but sometimes they still managed to surprise her. This had been one of those times. A villain trying to turn Storybrooke into the new Atlantis? Seriously?

They'd defeated him, of course. Nobody had ever been successful in their battle against the ever optimistic heroes with their endless hope speeches. And their brute strength in the form of magic, swords, arrows and a hook. That had definitely helped as well. It had been a close call, but that was nothing new. Her family had grown quite accustomed to near death experiences, she was sorry to say.

This time, particularly Killian had been determined to win the battle, partially because he was quite done with people trying to murder him, and partially because, as he'd said it, ''I've survived the terrors of the seas for centuries, I will not have that reputation be marred by being turned into a bloody fish.'' Because yes, that had been part of the diabolical master plan. Turning all of the Storybrooke citizens into fish. Now that it was over and everything had gone back to normal (as normal as their lives ever could be, that is), it sounded even more ridiculous.

It wasn't all bad, though.

''So, I found this waterfall...'' she began enthusiastically, flopping down on the couch next to Killian, who put his newspaper down at the sound of her voice and the odd announcement.

''You... found a waterfall?'' His hesitant question was met with a determined nod. He moved to the side to face her, his shift of position prompting her to put her hand on his knee to close the distance between them further. ''You're saying that we've lived in this town for years and until now, nobody knew of the existence of such a place?''

''Yes! Well, no. I think it was created by the water that was left after the whole Atlantis business. You know, pretty much the entire forest was flooded, so today I decided to take a look around there to see if nobody had been hurt, because there's always some dwarf getting himself into trouble, but mostly because the most exciting thing at the office was paperwork, and you know I never feel like doing that, and my dad said he'd take over for the rest of the day, and...''

A gentle smile graced his features while he patiently listened to her ramblings, always amused by the deterioration in her story-telling abilities whenever she was excited about something.

''Anyway...'' she seemed to notice it too, cutting herself of so she could get to the point she had originally been trying to make. ''I found a waterfall, right in the middle of the woods, not far from the toll bridge. It's beautiful and nobody knows about it yet and...''

The sudden end of her sentence made him raise an eyebrow, silently wondering what was on her mind.

''You know what? You should see it for yourself.'' She flashed a toothy grin, clearly thrilled about the idea she had just come up with. With a flick of her wrist and a puff of white smoke, they were suddenly standing in front of the waterfall in question.

'Beautiful' didn't even come close to accurately describing it.

It was in the middle of a clearing, surrounded on one side by a forest heavily populated by tall trees, and on the other side by a steep hill. There, water trickled down from the rocks, forming various small streams at the bottom. Near the middle of the hill was a cavern, almost completely hidden by the waterfall in front of it. The drops of water created a soothing rhythm, reminiscent of rain on the windows on a stormy autumn evening. The sunlight bravely filtered through the leaves during its last hours of the day.

''Wow.'' Emma chuckled at Killian's incredibly eloquent description of the scenery.

''Have I really reduced you to one-syllable words?'' She moved closer to him, replacing his view of the body of water with a radiant smile and bright green eyes. ''Shouldn't you be calling it, I don't know, beautiful or stunning or something along those lines?''

''No Swan, those are solely reserved for you.'' He recovered quickly from his astonishment, knowing exactly how to stun her into the same silence from moments before.

''You're ridiculous.'' She stepped further into his space, placing her right hand over his heart and softly pressing her lips to his. He often made her feel like she was part of a fairy tale romance, and she hoped she was repaying him by taking them to such a dreamy location. Although simply being there couldn't possibly compete with the way her heart sang with joy during a slow kiss like this one. She could swear that love was almost tangible during these moments, warm enough to heat up her fingertips and cold enough to bring goosebumps to her skin.

They ended the kiss with a shaky sigh, both catching their breath as their body swayed ever so slightly, like tall grass in a gentle breeze. Their foreheads were pressed together, noses brushing each others cheeks, his hand in her hair and her fingers trailing along his jaw. The only sound apart from their heartbeats was a soft melody from a single bird somewhere in the distance.

Emma decided to use the quiet moment to her advantage. Right now, he wouldn't suspect anything. She slowly let her left hand run along the leather of his sleeve, ultimately intertwining her fingers with his. Suddenly she looked up at him with a mischievous grin. She could practically see the wheels in his head turning as one eyebrow shot up. But before he could get the chance to react properly to this suspicious turn of events, she tugged at his hand while taking a big step backwards. Right into the shallow pool of water. Under the borderline freezing waterfall.

''Swan!'' he exclaimed in a tone that almost sounded offended, prompting her to laugh despite the chill of the water running down her neck.

''What, the great Captain Hook can't handle a little bit of water?'' she asked teasingly, moving her hands up to tug on his collar in order to keep their bodies close.

''I'm soaked.'' Killian was practically pouting at this point, and it sent her into a fit of giggling. ''Bloody hell Swan, I'm still wearing all of my clothes.''

She bit her lip, unsuccessfully trying to suppress the broad smile on her face while she moved the two of them deeper into the cavern, their legs creating ripples in the water as they waded through it.

''Exactly. Let's get you out of those.''

''As if you-'' A kiss on his cheek while she pulled of his jacket. ''Ever need an ulterior motive-'' A line of wet kisses along his jawline as she hastily unbuttoned his shirt. ''To do that.'' The constant kisses had it made it quite difficult for him to even finish that sentence.

While his jacket and shirt fell into the water with a soft splash, he put his hand on her sleeveless arm in an attempt to dodge the next kiss attack.

''Emma, hold on a second, I-'' Killian promptly stopped talking when her movements came to a screeching halt. Her hands had moved down from his instantly drenched chest hair to unbuckle his pants, but one of them now rested on his right pocket, completely motionless. She could feel a square object under her palm.

She hesitantly lifted her gaze up to meet his eyes, her lips parting without speaking as she looked at him in shock. He wasn't doing much better. His eyes darted around wildly in an attempt to avoid eye contact, while he let out a nervous chuckle.

''Well, this didn't go as planned.'' She could see him gather his courage while he attempted to brush the dripping wet strands of hair out of his eyes with his hook, slipping his hand into his pocket to pull out a red velvet box. If possible, her jaw dropped even further, eyes blinking rapidly as her mind worked overtime in order to comprehend this development.

''Emma.'' his voice was slightly shaky for a few seconds, the tension of his confession weighing heavy on his shoulders.

''You know I can always think of something to say. But this is different. Because what could I say that I haven't already proven to be true? Still, I will try.'' He twisted the box in his hand, unable to keep it completely steady.

''I would cross realms for you.'' Neverland, the Enchanted forest, New York and Camelot immediately come to mind. He had never once hesitated since the moment he first decided to help her. Never questioned his own unwavering belief that he would find her, no matter what it took.

''I would give up anything for you.'' He had given up his ship for her. The only place left with memories of his loved ones, the only place where he had ever truly felt at home. That is, until he met Emma. In her arms was where he belonged.

''I would die for you.'' He had proven this to be an indisputable fact far more times than strictly necessary. Her chest tightened at the memory of every single one of those instances, tears she hadn't even noticed yet threatening to spill over.

''I would live for you.'' There had been a time where it hadn't mattered to him whether he lived or died. Consumed by the darkness and loneliness that came in the form of an endless desire for revenge. But Emma Swan wasn't just worth dying for. She was worth living for. Truly living, savoring every second of every day. He wanted to spend the rest of the second life he'd been granted devoted to her.

''You told me that I helped take off your armor. But if necessary, I would have gladly spent the rest of my life breaking down your walls brick by brick. You did the same for me, after all. You were the flame that guided me when I had lost my way. You loved me when I couldn't love myself.'' Salty tears now mixed in with the water already on Emma's cheeks.

''I always know for certain that I can't love you more, but then I wake up the next morning with you by my side and I discover that I do. I always have, and always will, choose you.'' His voice was gentle but determined, his eyes a brilliant shade of blue, nearly overflowing with all of the promises he intended to keep. Then, the corner of his mouth turned upwards, creating a smirk with one eyebrow raised ever so slightly.

''This time, I _am_ proposing.''

Killian got down on one knee, ignoring the sting of the undeniably cold water in favor of what he wanted to say. He lifted his hand with the velvet box and opened it with his hook, revealing a silver ring with an emerald gemstone.

''Emma Swan. Will you marry me?''

A whirlwind of laughter and blond hair crashed into him, knocking him backwards and sending the two of them into the water with a loud splash and a miniature tidal wave.

''Bloody he-'' the disoriented words died on his lips as they drowned in a series of wet sloppy kisses.

''Yes! Yes, of course I will!'' her chuckles were contagious while she lay on his bare chest, peppering his cheeks, nose, forehead and neck with kisses as numerous as the drops of water in the pool they were laying in. His arms went around her back, his right hand stroking up and down her spine as he locked their lips together whenever he could tone down the enormous smile on his face.

They made no move to get up, their bodies a mess of tangled limbs and wet hair.

''Was it really necessary to end this romantic occasion with the possibility of hypothermia?'' He finally uttered breathlessly, the taste of her accepting words still fresh on his lips.

''Do you even know how much willpower it took to wait through your speech before being able to pounce you?''

''What, you didn't like my speech?'' He feigned a hurt tone, tilting his head to the side.

''Shut up, shut up.'' she lowered her head to press her lips to his, softer and slower than before. She would never have imagined a proposal like this. Her boyfriend- no, fiancée, half naked and both of them soaked to the bone. She wouldn't trade it for the world.

''I loved it.'' There was a moment of silence as they gazed adoringly into each others eyes, seeing a future in the lakes of blue and green. ''I love you.''

''And I you.''


	7. never thought I'd see one of those

**7\. never thought I'd see one of those**

 **Prompt: ''Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?''**

 **A/N: 2x06 canon divergence.**

* * *

''Why didn't you do it?''

''Do what?'' Emma looked back over her shoulder, having walked a few steps ahead of the pirate. They had almost made their way back to the beanstalk, but she'd been avoiding talking to him since the moment they acquired the compass. She was afraid she knew exactly what he meant.

''I saw you reach for that chain.'' Yeah, that. He caught up to her, stopping her dead in her tracks by using his hook to spin her around. Maybe she really should have just left him, despite her gut telling her to trust him. Maybe this much braver decision was the wrong one. Maybe the fact that she really did trust him was a sign that she shouldn't let him get close to her.

She forcefully pulled her arm back, refusing to let Hook have any kind of power over her. The fact that this power was more on an emotional rather than on a physical level was one she was more than happy to ignore. That would be far more terrifying, after all. Fist fights, she could do. Battling her own feelings? Not so much.

''Are you complaining about me _not_ leaving your ass back there?''

''Most certainly not. However, if you do not wish to grace me with an explanation, I'll have to fill in the blanks myself.'' He raised an eyebrow, putting on that infuriatingly arrogant expression. ''Which means I'd assume that my irresistible charms won you over, while the actual reason is probably just that you might need some live bait for the next vile creature we encounter.''

A soft chuckle escaped her lips while she looked away in a fruitless effort to conceal it. Damn this man and his ability to get through to her.

''Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?''

''Don't ruin it.'' She groaned, once again doubting her decision to bring him along.

''I wouldn't dream of it.''


	8. building bridges

**8\. building bridges**

 _ **Prompt: ''You fainted… straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn't have to go to such extremes.''**_

 **A/N: Canon divergence, sometime after the 3x05 kiss. ~1K words.**

* * *

Killian's eyes were closed, but he was wide awake. In all of his years spent in Neverland, he couldn't recall a single good night's sleep. No reason why he would be able to drift off peacefully this time. If he were lucky, he might at most be able to rest for a few hours.

He shifted his body to lie on his other side, trying to no avail to find a comfortable position on the hard ground. That was when he heard the snap of a twig nearby. Dangerously nearby. He got to his feet in one swift motion, the tail of his coat swirling behind him at the sudden movement. His hand gripped the sword on his side tight as he noiselessly unsheathed it, his hook already in place. He never dared take it off in situations like these.

For a moment, he considered waking the others, who were sleeping as soundly as if they weren't stuck on a perilous island with demon boys running around. He ultimately decided against it while his gaze slid over the members of the rescue mission. Operation Cobra Rescue, as he'd heard Swan call it a couple of times.

Swan.

His brow furrowed in immediate worry as his eyes darted around the circle of makeshift beds. She was gone.

No time to waste. He pushed aside leaves heavy with humidity, maneuvering his way through the jungle by following the trail of broken branches. Whoever it was that had been attempting to get away from the campsite didn't seem particularly concerned about leaving a ridiculously easy to follow track.

Soon, he heard the shuffling of footsteps nearby, and with little to no regard for his own safety, he all but sprinted into the clearing where the noise had originated from.

He didn't get far.

All he saw was a flash of blond hair before a body stumbled heavily into him. His sword fell to the ground with a loud clatter. He instinctively (was it possible for instincts to adapt to a certain person?) wrapped his arms around the limp figure, sinking to his knees in an effort to soften the blow of the impact that hitting the ground would have. He succeeded, heaving a sigh of relief.

''Wha- what happened?'' Emma's voice barely reached the volume of a whisper, disorientation audibly ringing through it.

''You fainted…'' He'd had a look around and there seemed to be no sign of a threat anywhere near them. He couldn't help himself when he added the next bit. ''Straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn't have to go to such extremes.''

It was only then that she seemed to register the fact that she was lying in Killian's arms, the realization sending chills up her arms despite the warmth practically radiating from his embrace. She put out her hands in front of her defensively, pushing away from him hastily. She got up in a rush, clearly far too fast for her dazed mind, and her legs almost collapsed underneath her again. This time when he caught her, he made sure to give her enough space to put some distance between them once she felt ready for it. This approach effectively prevented her from panicking once more. She simply stepped slightly to the right while she closed her eyes and attempted to catch her breath.

''Swan, are you alright? What were you doing here?'' He could hear his own concern clearly in his voice, as could she, but he was too focused on making sure she was okay to care if the display of emotion would drive her away from him.

''I- Yeah, I'm... fine.'' For someone so proficient at detecting lies, she was terrible at making her own ones even remotely convincing. He raised an eyebrow, simultaneously showing his suspicion of her statement and his encouragement for her to continue talking.

''I was just practicing magic... I guess. It wasn't really going very well and then everything suddenly just went black.'' She rubbed her temple with her left hand, unable to conceal the headache that had probably come from testing the limits of her magic.

''Love, look at me. You need to rest. This natural state of yours -always ready for a fight- must be exhausting. And you overworking yourself won't help your lad.'' The mention of Henry had the desired effect. Whereas her eyes had previously been darting around, they were now trained on him. ''Please, try to get some sleep.''

''I- I can't.'' Her voice was soft, smaller than he'd ever heard it before. The almost inaudible crack of her voice when she stuttered briefly was what made him realize why she was even awake in the first place.

''You can't sleep because of the cries of the lost boys.'' He said with a pained and understanding sigh, stating the facts as much to her as to himself.

''How do you know that?'' She sounded genuinely surprised, before she suddenly took a sharp breath, having figured it out within seconds of asking the question.

''You can hear them, too.'' Her voice was soft, compassion carrying it across the short distance between their bodies.

''Aye.'' It didn't need further explanation. An orphan's an orphan. They both knew that all too well. The silence that followed was deafening, for it was the sound of a secret being revealed, another bridge being built between two broken souls. A lost boy and a lost girl.

It became too much for Emma to bear, the possibility of sharing this kind of connection with someone completely foreign and terrifying to her.

''Hook...'' she started, his gaze searching for hers while she seemed to struggle to find a way to steer the conversation away from the sorrowful subject.

''Please don't tell David and Mary Margaret about the fainting. They'd just get worried over nothing, and we can't use any distractions right now.''

Killian heaved a sigh, experiencing a bit of a déjà vu. Like father, like daughter. One more secret for him to keep.

''As you wish.''


	9. take it off

**9\. take it off**

 _ **Prompt: How about… "You heard me. Take. It. Off."... BUT it has nothing to do with getting each other naked.**_

 **A/N: Sorry this isn't very long… although I guess that makes it more of an actual drabble than the previous ones I've written XD Random future fluff.**

* * *

"You heard me. Take. It. Off."

"But we need matching outfits." She whined, dodging the hand that was reaching for what was the topic of discussion. A big, feathered, Bordeaux colored pirate hat.

He looked at her as if she had gone completely mad. His eyes darted frantically around the shop, praying to any deity that nobody was looking their way.

"That… thing would never be part of a matching outfit, there is no time or realm where I would ever wear such a monstrosity." He had lowered his voice, but put emphasis on every word. He didn't need all of Boston to hear their dispute while they were there on vacation, but he also couldn't stand for this blatant attack on his dignity.

"The Disney movie seems to disagree." She countered with a smirk, spinning around to see the hat from different angles in the mirror of the kids' toys section.

"I thought we agreed never to mention that bloody disaster again?" His voice practically raised an octave. The tone of betrayal made Emma break into a fit of giggles. She reached for the crime against fashion, but instead of putting it back on the shelf, she placed it on top of Killian's head before he could protest.

He grabbed it within a millisecond, aggressively throwing it on the floor as if it had burned his hand. With said hand firmly placed on the small of her back he pulled her with him as he walked out of the store with long, determined strides. She threw her head back in laughter, ignoring the odd stares they were getting from employees and customers alike.

She was so buying that hat online.


	10. until I met you

**10\. until I met you**

 _ **Prompt: "Looks like we'll be trapped for a while…" Maybe in Neverland?**_

 **A/N: 3x06 canon divergence, where Neal was not a part of the Neverland arc. ~1,4k words.**

* * *

Emma opened her eyes with a considerate amount of effort, a wave of dizziness washing over her. She blinked rapidly, grunting as she pressed herself up onto her side with one elbow. Next to her lay Hook's body, motionless except for the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

''Hook?'' She moved to sit on her knees by his side. Her hands grabbed his arm, shaking it in an attempt to wake him from his slumber. Creases in her forehead appeared as she frowned when he didn't respond to her touch. ''Hook, wake up!''

She wasn't worried, damn it.

He finally stirred, his blue eyes immediately searching for her face as soon as they opened. He looked just as disoriented as she had felt upon waking.

''What happened? Where the hell are we?'' While asking these questions out loud she realized he probably knew just as little as she did.

This was when he sat up and his gaze left her eyes, darting around the place they had found themselves in. She followed his example. It was a large cave, with seemingly nothing but rocks and just the two of them in it. They were stuck on a pillar, perhaps a hundred feet across from what looked like the entrance. A strange, blueish glow colored the entire area.

''Echo cave.'' His voice was a whisper, accompanied by a sigh that indicated sorrowful recognition. ''Pan must have drugged us while we slept in order to get us here.''

''What, you know this place?''

''All too well.'' She could see how his eyes grew a shade darker at the memory. Both of them got to their feet, only now certain enough about the steadiness of their legs. ''I've lost half my crew inside those rock walls.''

Emma's breath hitched in her throat, her pessimistic nature rushing to the surface. No. No way it ended like this.

''Please tell me there's a way out.'' She sounded frantic and she didn't care. The mission to save Henry was not completed yet, and she wouldn't let it end like this.

''There is. But the only way is to reveal a secret.'' He was avoiding eye contact, something quite unusual for him.

She paused. Seriously? Then why did his entire body language suggest it was all doom and gloom?

''A... secret? That's all?'' A look of disbelief crossed her features. This sounded far too easy to be true.

''Your darkest secret.'' He immediately corrected her, confirming her suspicions. ''Echo cave derives its name from an old saying... _"the deeper the lie, the more truth in its echo."_ The cave demands that you reveal a truth about yourself. A secret you would never admit to anyone.''

Emma had closed her eyes briefly, cursing these fairy tale realms and their magical traps. If they just would have been imprisoned in a place with a lock, she could have simply pried it open. But no such luck.

''This is ridiculous.'' Her utterly unamused voice sounded exactly the way she felt.

''Don't kill the messenger, luv.''

''Why would we even be here if it's possible to get out just by spilling our guts?''

''Because this is what Pan wants.'' His eyebrows shot up to illustrate the dramatic nature of the demon's plan. ''He wants us to reveal our secrets. He believes once we do, our secrets will destroy us.''

''So, what? Someone tells their secret and they sprout wings?'' Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised, considering everything that she had witnessed since the day she learned magic was real.

''I don't know the particulars, only what I've been told.''

''This is insane. I'm not doing it.'' Her stubborn streak was taking control. It was only now starting to dawn on her that she desperately did not want to reveal her darkest secret to Hook. The realization of what that truth encompassed was something that even terrified herself. She absolutely was not willing to share it with the man who had set that realization in motion in the first place.

He furrowed his brow, his eyes narrowing at her determined refusal, which must have seemed like an unreasonable overreaction to him.

''Well, in that case... looks like we'll be trapped for a while, because none of the others even know of the existence of this bloody place.''

''I'm sure you wouldn't mind, this seems like that perfect bonding experience you've been waiting for.'' This wasn't fair and she knew it. But she was pissed off about this entire situation and she couldn't help but take it out on him with an overdose of snark and sarcasm.

''You think I'm enjoying this?'' The sincere hurt in his voice surprised her, and she was taken aback by the sudden increase of volume for a moment. ''You may not believe it, but I really do want to help all of you. We are achieving nothing by being stuck here.''

He was right. She knew full well that she had to put aside her own feelings in order to get out of here to rescue Henry, but building up the courage to do so was not an easy task.

''Besides, this whole thing is just going to make you run away from me again afterwards.'' He sounded small, defeated, painfully sure about the consequences of his upcoming revelation. ''But I suppose that's just a chance I'm going to have to take.''

She looked at him with wide eyes, her anger ebbing away quickly, drowned by his genuine attempt to sacrifice his chances with her for a way to continue on their mission to save her son.

''The kiss is what exposed something I haven't been able to admit to myself. My secret is, I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my first love... of my Milah... to believe that I could find someone else.''

She didn't know what she'd been expecting, but this wasn't it. She stood there, gazing at him motionlessly. The echoes of the appropriately named cave endlessly repeated his confession into her ears.

''That is, until I met you.''

The tension left her features and her lips parted, but there was no opportunity to say anything in response. A loud noise interrupted them, the deep rumble of the ground shaking beneath their feet. They almost lost their balance while part of a bridge appeared to build itself from previously non-existing rocks. As soon as they found their footing and the earthquake stopped, the silence between them was deafening.

It had worked. Which meant there was no excuse for her not to reveal her secret as well. So here it was. The moment of truth, literally.

''You... I-...'' She stammered briefly, desperately searching for the words that weighed so heavily on her heart.

''You were right, that day at the top of the beanstalk. I was in love, once. My secret is... I don't think I'll ever recover from it. All of that pain, I've... always been able to push it away.'' She could feel it rushing back, all of it, while she spoke the words she had been so afraid to say. Her gaze wasn't nearly as steady as his, as it kept avoiding the blinding blue of his eyes.

''But then you showed up and I knew it was gonna get a hell of a lot harder.'' Tears were gathering in her eyes, ready to spill over at any given moment. Every nerve in her body was tense, and she suddenly felt incredibly claustrophobic in between the walls she'd built around herself.

''The truth is... I don't know if I'm ever gonna be able to stop running. And the reason that I even want to do that after all these years... It's you.''

The sound of her own heartbeat banging against her chest was not even overshadowed by the noise of the rest of the bridge being built.

''I'm sorry.'' With an apology muttered under her breath, she turned away from him. Big steps quickly created distance between them, the way they had when she had first walked away from him in the giant's cave.

This time, however, he didn't have to wait long to follow her.

Emma was running now, and her confession had revealed that she didn't know if she could ever stop doing that. But he believed she could. And eventually, he would make her believe it too.


	11. right here

**11\. right here**

 _ **Prompt: ''I'm pregnant.''**_

 **A/N: Lieutenant Duckling modern AU. Not quite as fluffy as the prompt would suggest.**

* * *

It takes a little while for the door to open after he knocks on it, but he finds he doesn't mind waiting when it's Emma Swan standing in the opening of the apartment. His face lights up at the sight of her, delighted that it's her instead of the other occupant of the residence.

''Good morning, Swan. I just wanted to ask-'' The part about borrowing the book she was gushing about last week dies on his lips when he notices her expression. Killian's smile fades just as quickly as it had appeared.

''Are you alright, love?'' The worry in his tone is not even slightly concealed. He sees puffy eyes, the twitch of a poorly faked smile, the way her gaze averts his as if she's just been busted doing something she shouldn't have done.

''Yeah, yeah, I'm- I'm fine.'' The crack in her voice tells a vastly different story.

He doesn't say anything, just looks at her intently, hoping and praying she'll open up to him about what upset her. Whatever it is, he already knows he will do anything in his power to make sure it never hurts her again.

''Really, I am. What did you want to ask?'' The matter of the book seems like the most trivial thing in the world right now.

''It matters not. What does matter is that I can tell that your heart is uneasy. Please, let me help.'' He longs to reach for her, to stroke his hands over her back, to soothe her sorrows with a comforting touch.

In the end, it's the gentle blue of his eyes that nudges her over the edge.

''It's Neal. He... left.'' The last word is spoken with a tinge of confusion amidst the grief, indicating her own disbelief over what happened.

He's struck with a loss for words. His first instinct is anger. He wants to make the bloody bastard pay for what he's done. Hell, he wants to make the entire world personally apologize for its cruelty. He wants to protect Emma from its unfairness. He wants to ask it how anyone could ever possibly choose to abandon her.

Instead, the only thing he can say is encompassed in one word, a word that echoes her disbelief.

''Why?'' His voice is breathy and his anger audible. He knows he has feelings for this woman. He's known it for quite some time. They've been neighbors for a year now. He's known it for just about as long. But the effort it takes for him not to close the gap between them at this very moment surprises even himself.

''I'm pregnant.'' She's finally stopped avoiding eye contact, as it seems she needs to see his reaction. However, when he can't find words to say within a few seconds, she continues in a shaky voice. ''It was an accident, it was stupid, we weren't thinking and I never meant for it to happen and-''

Her own sobs cut her off in the middle of her sentence, words of regret stuck in her throat, words of heartache left unsaid.

Their bodies crash into each other, and it's not clear who initiated the mess of an embrace, but now that they're there neither of them wants to leave. They sway unsteadily while her tears and mascara create dark stains on his navy blue shirt. His arms around her torso radiate warmth into her veins. Strands of her hair curl itself around his fingers, as if even they are afraid he'll let go. Her sobs are like waves crashing against the shore, but he's her rock who refuses to let it drive him away from her.

He doesn't know how long they've been standing there, but he does know that he needs to ask her a crucial question. She can't run from this.

''Emma, please look at me.'' He has to pull away from her slightly for her to be able to do that, and the pain of his departure rips through him, the uncertainty of them ever resuming that position in each other's arms weighing heavy on his heart.

''Do you want to be a mother?'' His voice is hoarse, his question raw and genuine. She doesn't seem surprised by it, but she also doesn't have an answer ready.

He gives her time. The long seconds are filled with soft strokes of his thumbs over her upper arms. She bites her lip in contemplation, her shoulders shaking slightly every now and then.

''Yes. I do.'' There's something stubborn in the way she says it, something determined, something completely and utterly Emma Swan. A reassuring smile tugs on the corner of Killian's lips.

''Then keep the baby. You can do this.'' Her newfound confidence in the matter is reflected back to her by the faith in his words.

''You think so?'' She sniffles, her voice soft and tentative as if she can't quite believe the support he's offering her.

''I know it. And if you ever need anything... I'll be right here.''


	12. perfectly insufferable

**12\. perfectly insufferable**

 _ **Prompt: "Wait a minute. Are you jealous?"**_

 **A/N: A tiny fic of ridiculous future fluff.**

* * *

''Killian? Where are you going?''

They'd just finished up the dishes and Emma was drying her hands on the towel in the kitchen. She was looking over her shoulder at Killian, who had been in the process of putting on his leather jacket when she called him.

''Oh, my apologies love, I forgot to tell you about the guy's night out with Dave.'' He flashed her a casual grin. Would it be odd to say that her fearsome pirate seemed almost giddy at the prospect of spending time with her father? Because really, there was no other way to describe his mood.

''Again? You two have been spending a lot of time together lately.'' She walked over to him and fixed his collar, her attention solely focused on the piece of clothing and just how much of his skin it didn't cover. You'd swear he had a personal vendetta against buttons.

''Well yeah, we like to throw a couple of darts and have a drink. Of course he's terrible at both.'' His grin widened, both at her close proximity and at his own joke. ''Especially when he's had the slightest bit of alcohol before his attempts at making the dart land anywhere near the board. However, I do believe our nights out have raised his tolerance to rum. He barely even grimaces anymore after a sip from my flask.''

''Glad to hear it.'' She deadpanned with an eye roll, just barely suppressing a chuckle. He sounded so damn proud.

''Wait a minute...'' She stopped fidgeting with the collar that refused to cooperate. It sounded like he'd just had an epiphany. Emma couldn't even begin to guess what he had apparently realized, but the lights dancing behind his eyes hinted at it being of a less than serious nature.

''Are you jealous?'' His teasing voice and triumphant smirk made her let out an unladylike snort. Really? That was his groundbreaking discovery?

''My love, you needn't worry. Your father may be a grand mate, but don't forget that I am after all a married man.''

Oh god, he was perfectly insufferable. Was one person spouting dad jokes in her family not enough?

He pulled her into a hug while she laughed and smacked him on the chest, which was not an easy task considering the tightness of their embrace. His low chuckles vibrated through their bodies, and he was enjoying his own humor just a little too much.

Did she really marry this idiot?


	13. one battle

**13\. one battle**

 _ **Prompt: ''I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice.''**_

 **A/N: Modern AU.**

* * *

There he was again. The black leather a stark contrast to the gentle colors of the diner. The dark tousled hair a distraction she stubbornly refused to call welcome. The voice with an English accent that sounded impossibly smooth for someone just ordering coffee. But the eyes were, without a doubt, the worst part. It had only been days since he'd started coming to Granny's, but every single time that he did she could feel his blue eyes burning into her with the heat of blue fire.

Emma was tired of pretending to ignore it. If he was planning to keep coming here, which it seemed like he was, she needed to confront this. So when she set a steaming mug on the counter in front of him, she didn't turn her back to him like she usually did. Instead, she crossed her arms and looked directly into the eyes that had prompted this moment.

''I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice.'' Her voice was strict, but the words she'd chosen didn't quite convey the business-like tone she was going for.

He smirked, an infuriating reaction really, because she was the one who was supposed to be in control here and her accusation definitely hadn't been intended to make him smile.

(Although it was quite a nice smile.)

 _(Focus.)_

''You appear to be implying that I was trying to hide it, which I most certainly was not.'' He put emphasis on the last word, both eyebrows raised with his gaze still intently on her. It remained that way even while he took a careful sip of the hot coffee.

Emma was taken aback by his answer. She hadn't quite expected him to say that. Then again, he didn't seem like the type to let himself appear anything but overtly self-confident.

''You picked the wrong woman to stare at. It's a waste of time, for both of us.'' She fixed him with a stern glance, and spoke nothing but what she believed to be the full and honest truth. She wasn't looking for a relationship. Not even a one-night stand, honestly. There was only one love she had room for in her life, and that was Henry. She was working her ass of just to provide for her baby boy. No way in hell did she have the time (or courage) for any romantic kind of love.

''Can't say I regret my decision, love.''

She wasn't sure why he was so determined about this, but she did know exactly how to scare pretty much any guy away. She leaned in, shifting her weight to rest on her arms on the counter.

''I have a kid. Ready to run yet?'' Maybe this was an attempt at making him give up. Or maybe this was a challenge.

''I'm afraid I'm not that easy to get rid of. And I have a feeling that's not actually what you want to do,'' he said while moving just a few inches towards her, his undeniably handsome features now dangerously close to her. She drew a sharp breath. Alright, so leaning in had been a terrible idea. And offering the challenge an even worse one, because he grabbed it with both hands.

But Emma Swan had never been one to back away from a challenge. The problem was that she didn't know the same thing applied to Killian Jones.

''Oh really? You think you know me so well?'' She responded with sarcasm and a thin smile.

''No. But I'd like to.'' This was the first time there was no underlying tone of pure flirting in his voice. His blue eyes displayed an ocean of honesty. Which made this the first time she lost the upper hand. The first time she actually believed that he might be a threat to the rules she'd set for herself.

She turned around after a moment of lingering there, unable to come up with any words to lift the tension. But even with her back turned to him and focused on the trivial task of cleaning the coffee machine, she could still feel his eyes on her, and practically see his satisfied grin.

He'd won this battle. But something told her that this was merely the beginning, that this challenge would turn into a full-on, unspoken war. What the reward of winning the battle would be, she wasn't really sure of. Even in a conversation consisting of so few sentences, he had managed to surprise her more than once. All she knew was that he would be back, and she would be ready for it.

He'd won one battle. She wouldn't lose the war.


	14. surprise!

**14\. surprise!**

 _ **Prompt: ''Hey, have you seen the...? Oh.'' & ''I got you a present.''**_

 **A/N: Future fluffy fluff.**

* * *

The unexpected noise of the front door slamming shut startled Killian, interrupting him from focusing on the beautiful view of the sea that he could study carefully through the telescope in their living room.

''Killian?'' Her voice was always a welcome sound after she'd been at work all day. Even with no real villains wreaking havoc in town, there was somehow always something happening in the small town that required a sheriff to step in. He reckoned it really was cursed in a way.

''Aye, love?'' he huffed (how many times had he already asked her to close the door in a less destructive manner?). He abandoned his spot near the window to turn to her. He was slightly caught off guard by the speed at which she approached him, but didn't hesitate to return the sweet 'I'm home'' kiss.

He didn't even get the chance to ask her what had prompted her unusual haste.

''I think today should be your birthday.'' Emma's face was glowing with excitement, a smile from ear to ear and a childlike expression on her features.

She raised a valid point they hadn't spoken about in a little while. It had been decades since Killian had forgotten the date of his birth. Centuries of sailing the seas with nothing but revenge on your mind will do that to a person. The gap in his memory was now a stinging reminder of those lonely days.

''I- Uh... Well, I'm not one to deny you your wishes, but why exactly today?'' He looked at her with intrigued curiosity in his eyes. ''Is there something special about this date?''

''No, it's just,'' she started, stroking her thumbs over his hook and hand in a gesture that she had found to be comforting for the both of them. ''I got you a present. And what better time to give it than on your birthday?''

Truthfully, he was taken by surprise by her words. First of all, because Emma had always been more of a woman of action. Most of the time, she much preferred doing an activity with those she loved instead of showering them with gifts. Every now and then even Henry had a tough time convincing her to buy him some ice cream. And that was saying something.

Secondly, he was not at all used to receiving presents. His mind went immediately to Liam, who'd been known to work miracles when it came to Killian's birthday. Somehow his brother had always managed to find some food for him on this day, most likely acquired through illegal and dangerous means. After all, a couple of boys in servitude didn't exactly have the money for... anything, really. Least of all birthday presents.

Emma gently squeezed his hand, seemingly perfectly understanding what was going through his mind. It brought him back to the moment, and he gulped slightly before looking down with a short chuckle. ''Fair enough.''

She gave him one more tight-lipped smile before turning her head slightly, making sure to still keep her eyes on him as much as possible. Killian wondered what exactly it was that she was doing, but luckily it didn't take long for the answer to arrive.

''Henry, you can come in now!'' she shouted in the general direction of the door, which opened within a fraction of a second, revealing the lad as well as...

''A puppy?''

His astonishment made Emma giggle as she released his hand, stepping out of the way as to avoid getting run over by the overexcited little thing. That fate was solely reserved for Killian. Henry knelt down on the floor to snap the leash off the collar, which allowed the mutt to run straight into Killian's arms, with quite an impressive leap and an utter lack of any fear of falling.

Booming laughter filled the house as he got down to the eye-level of his new playmate. Both he and Henry started petting him, rubbing their hands over the short fuzzy coat. The happiness he felt was reflected in the shining brown eyes of the puppy.

''We should call him Spot!'' Henry beamed with delight over his clearly brilliant idea.

''No, we should not.'' Emma scoffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

''Why not, Swan? I'd say it's a perfectly fitting name.'' Killian countered, referring to the black and brown spots on the dog's grayish fur.

''We are not naming him Spot.'' she said it like it was the most obvious statement in the world. It sounded like all of her stubbornness somehow crammed into that one sentence. ''There are limits to how ridiculous I'll let this household be. I think a centuries-old pirate is more than enough.''

With that (and a barely suppressed smile), she turned around, heading for the kitchen. Killian watched her go with an enormous grin, but he was soon distracted by the puppy and his attempts to lick every inch of his face.

—

It was late.

The three of them had already stuffed themselves with a damn impressive lasagna, if she said so herself. Granny's recipe, but still, she was allowed to be proud, right?

Henry was sleeping at Regina's tonight, so she and Killian had the house for themselves. With the newest addition to the family, of course.

Emma finished putting a generous amount of dog food in a bowl, hoping she'd followed the instructions on the bag correctly. It was only when she lifted it off the counter and looked around the kitchen and the living room that she realized she actually had no idea where the puppy was.

Jogging up the stairs, she walked towards the bedroom, where she though Killian might be. Surely he'd know.

''Hey, have you seen the...?'' she stopped mid-sentence, standing still in the opening with the door already half pushed open. ''Oh.''

Killian was sprawled out on the bed, an arm and a leg dangling limply from the side. On his chest lay the puppy, half asleep and contently gnawing on the detached hook, gently rising up and down with every breath Killian took. Clearly they were both exhausted after hours of chasing each other around the house.

Emma couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle, enamored with the sweet display. She simply couldn't find it in herself to wake them, but taking a picture of the monumental scene was something she was more than happy to do.

—

They ended up naming him Spot.


	15. unfair advantage

**15\. unfair advantage**

 _ **Prompt: ''Don't you dare throw that snowba-, goddammit!''**_

 **A/N: Tiny canon-compliant fic.**

* * *

''Don't you dare throw that snowba-,'' Too late. ''Goddammit!''

There are few things Emma hates more than the feeling of melting snow dripping down her back. But one of those things is definitely the stupid triumphant grin on his stupid smug face.

She shudders, feeling goosebumps creep up her arms. How is he seemingly not cold at all? He's wearing his usual outfit, with his shirt far too unbuttoned to be healthy in this ungodly weather.

''Really, Killian?'' She fixes him with a stern glare, one so icy that it could probably turn him into an icicle if she wants it to. Maybe she does.

''It was Henry's idea!'' he attempts, a poor excuse to save his own skin, something he quickly realizes might be necessary.

''Yes, blame it on the thirteen-year old. Real mature,'' she retorts while her voice turns high-pitched in exasperation. When Henry doesn't come out to argue about Emma's usage of his age as a way to dismiss his involvement in the matter, she looks around with a furrowed brow. ''Where is he, anyway?''

''Bloody hell,'' he mutters under his breath after turning his gaze towards the spot behind a tree where Henry had apparently been hiding. ''The lad betrayed me.'' He sounds like he can't quite believe that his partner in crime abandoned him to his cruel fate.

''Well,'' she draws the word out, which makes him turn back to her, his eyebrows simultaneously rising as he senses the danger. ''I guess that means you're on your own.''

He hadn't know what he was getting himself into until now. Lights begin to flicker at the tips of her fingers, and the white on the ground slowly begins to rise. Flurries of snow begin to surround him, fencing him in from all sides.

''Swan, please, that's not fair.'' He suddenly sounds rather panicked. It makes her laugh, which kind of ruins the evil demeanor she's going for.

''Neither is a sneak attack, but that didn't stop you from doing it.'' she states matter-of-factly. No mercy. A split second later, he is completely engulfed in snow, covered from head to toe. Emma sprints away while giggling in satisfaction, avoiding his hastily put together snowballs that fly through the air with unusually bad aim.


	16. deep dark water

**16\. deep dark water**

 _ **Prompt: ''I think I'm in love with you and I'm terrified.''**_

 **A/N: 4x15 canon divergence. I'm only a little bit sorry.**

* * *

 _''Sorry sweetheart. Your boyfriend is shark bait.''_

Ursula's words echoed through her head and she gripped the steering wheel tighter, her knuckles turning white. She rounded a corner, the wheels of the truck producing a harsh, squealing sound on the asphalt. To hell with the speed limit. Even if the sheriff's station hadn't practically been a family business, she still wouldn't have given a damn.

Emma refused to believe the sea witch. Her skeptical nature stubbornly rejected accepting those gut-wrenching words as truth without seeing proof. Oddly enough, it was also the hopeful part of her that fought against the statement. There was no way he was gone. Nevertheless, the fury that had awakened inside of her after Ursula's announcement had enabled her to swiftly defeat the villain.

She shouldn't have let him face her on his own. He had a knack for almost getting himself killed, despite constantly boasting about his status as a survivor.

Then again, he'd seemed so convinced he could return Ursula's happy ending, and the situation was getting desperate, and... who was she kidding? She'd never forgive herself if anything had happened to him. She felt guilty and she was worried and the closer she got to the harbor, the more her stomach cramped with fear.

The truck came to a screeching halt. She jumped out, slamming the door shut with an excessive amount of force. And it was a good thing she did, because it alerted someone of her presence. She was heading straight for the water, but was quickly interrupted by a woman's voice shouting from somewhere to her left. Emma's head whipped around, searching for the source of the call.

Her jaw dropped at the sight of the Jolly Roger. It was gently swaying on the waves, as if it had always been there. Dumbfounded, she temporarily forgot about her reason for looking that way.

''Hello?'' The unknown voice called out again. ''Can you help me? Someone almost drowned!'' She could now see the woman on board of the ship, whom she immediately recognized as Ariel. Obviously she didn't know Emma, because the only time Emma had seen her at all was through mirror magic.

But none of that mattered right now. That someone she was talking about, that had to be Killian. She just knew it. She took off sprinting and was on board in no time, her wide tearful eyes focused on Ariel.

''Come, he's below deck.'' She followed the mermaid down the stairs to the captain's quarters. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw that it was him lying on the bed.

''Killian!'' She rushed to his side and started shaking his body in a desperate attempt to get him to move. ''Killian, wake up!''

''You know him?'' Emma vaguely heard the question from behind her, barely aware enough of her surroundings to answer it.

''Yes, he's- he's my boyfriend.'' She stumbled over her words, because in this very moment, the fact hit her that that word wasn't nearly enough to express everything he was to her. Her unwavering support system. Her best friend. Her continuous believer. He was more.

With fumbling hands and a shaky voice, she called 911 for an ambulance. Her gaze didn't leave his motionless body for a second. Ariel offered to go above deck to guide the paramedics when they would arrive, a suggestion Emma gladly accepted.

She was alone with him now. The sounds of waves lapping against the ship and his shallow, labored breaths were multiplied by tenfold in her ears. Her own breath hitched in her throat every time his didn't follow a steady rhythm. The overwhelming fear was about to engulf her entirely.

''Killian! Killian, please!'' she begged with trembling lips, tears rolling down her face and falling onto his collar. ''No. Don't do this.''

Her left palm was on his cheek, caressing it softly, her touch fluttering as if she was afraid it could worsen his current state. Her left hand was pressed against his chest, right there at the spot where his heart was. She had to keep feeling it. The beats had to continue. She couldn't lose him.

''I think-'' She didn't know how to keep him here with her. She didn't know how to save him. She didn't know if she'd ever see the ocean blue of his eyes again. Her chest tightened at the thought, and she lay her head on his torso, sobs wrecking her body. Desperation and panic drowned her slowly and cruelly, and she knew he wouldn't hear her, but she also knew she had to say it.

''I think I'm in love with you and I'm terrified.'' The words came out in an almost inaudible whisper, more than once interrupted by sniffles and whimpers, almost as if her body wasn't prepared for such a confession.

''Please, come back to me.''

—

He did.

When he greeted her with a strained smile upon waking up in a hospital bed, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace, both to hold him close and to avoid his inevitable ''I'm a survivor'' speech.

She was still too afraid to tell him how she felt. What they shared was too good, too blissful to be true. It was as if somehow saying it would make it real, and change everything. She couldn't take that risk.

—

She wouldn't say the four letter word again until later, after he had told her she was his happy ending, after she had seen him die in an alternate universe, during a moment when she didn't think she'd ever see him again.

 _''Emma! Emma, please! No. Don't do this.''_

 _''I love you.''_


	17. in the morning, will you be mine?

**17\. in the morning, will you be mine?**

 _ **Prompt: ''Marry me?''**_

 **Post-5B morning cuddling. As overly fluffy as it sounds.**

* * *

Rays of sunlight filter through the sheer curtains, leaving golden stripes of light and warmth on the bed. One of them tickles her nose, and she slowly starts to wake from a deep, peaceful slumber. Actually opening her eyes takes a while longer, but when she does, she is greeted by a welcome sight. One she wakes up to every day.

''Good morning, beautiful.'' Killian smiles, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

He's probably been awake for a while, but he knows how much she adores sleeping in. It's a Sunday morning and they have nowhere to be, other than right here.

''Good morning.'' Her voice contains all the signs of having just woken up, but at the same time, it's sweet and filled with happiness. She smiles back at him, a reaction that feels almost like a reflex, as natural as holding your breath underwater. Which is something she does often too, when she's drowning in the currents of his blue eyes.

They lay there on their side, facing each other. She slightly props her head up on one hand while he shifts closer to her. His hand traces along her spine, and she can feel his body heat through her loose shirt.

''Nobody called or anything? Has this town really been this quiet for more than two months?'' The pessimistic side of her can scarcely believe it. Storybrooke is usually the most chaotic of quaint little towns, and yet nothing has disturbed the peace in what feels like forever.

''No. But even if it was under siege from an evil leprechaun, I wouldn't tell you. Because you-'' He leans forward, planting a kiss on her forehead before continuing. ''deserve your rest.''

She chuckles at the imagery of an angry little creature wearing green clothes with a rainbow and a pot of gold in the background.

She puts her lips on his, and it starts off a bit sloppy due to their wide smiles, but soon it turns slow and soft, and when they pull back they lay their heads on their pillows, content without words.

She's looking at him and she sees love, without feeling a trace of the fear she used to associate with that concept. Very rarely has she described herself as lucky, but right now it's the only word that feels right. She could tell him she loves him right now. She wants to. But it doesn't seem like enough, it doesn't seem to encompass everything they have, and everything she wants them to have. A future as happy as this particular morning. So she says something else.

''Marry me?'' Her heart skips a beat while she says it, but the words are anything but hesitant. She knows she wants this with him, and while this moment wasn't planned, it just feels so completely right.

He's utterly speechless. She clearly caught him completely off-guard, and she bites her lip in an attempt to not laugh at the dumbfounded look in his eyes.

Even though he's still at a loss for words, he doesn't leave her hanging. His kiss tastes like acceptance, passion, comfort and love all at once. His hand cups her cheek and she moves her fingers through his hair while their bodies come impossibly closer together.

It leaves them both breathless and overflowing with happiness.

''That was a 'yes', by the way.''

''I figured.''

Their laughter lights up the room more than even the sun rays on a beautiful morning ever could.


End file.
